Football League analysis: Lincoln City’s long-awaited Championship promotion after decades of struggle

By Holly Wright

Sixty-five years. From the heartbreak of relegation in 1961 to the bright lights of the Championship, Lincoln City have finally arrived.

On Easter Monday, Jack Moylan’s 96th-minute winner at Reading sent the travelling Lincoln fans at the Madejski into euphoria and sealed promotion to the second tier for the first time in generations.

What makes this moment even more remarkable is how far the club has come from the National League days in 2017, through historic FA Cup runs that funded their training facilities, to a League One campaign of relentless consistency, all while operating on a £5 million budget and with a top earner on just £3,500 a week.

This is a story of perseverance, vision, and collective triumph, a journey that generations of fans have waited their entire lives to witness.

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Historic journey

By winning promotion to the Championship, it feels like Lincoln have finally arrived at their destination after a gruelling 65-year journey.

Since relegation in 1961 from the old Second Division, the Imps have been all the way down to the National League and now have clawed their way back to the second tier.

Of any team to have played in the Championship or its predecessor, only Crewe Alexandra, with a 102-year hiatus, had to wait longer.

After League One play-off heartbreak in 2020–21 and narrowly missing out on a top-six finish in 2023–24, Michael Skubala has guided this group of players into a historic new chapter for the club.

Lincoln have also boasted the best attack in the league, the best defence, and suffered just one home defeat, showcasing a remarkable balance and consistency throughout the season.

Victory over Reading stretched their unbeaten run to 24 games (W19 D5), and now all that remains is to seal a first third-tier league title since 1952.

Dream

The season has seen key contributions from Moylan, who has scored 10 goals and provided four assists, including the promotion-sealing strike that etched his name into club folklore.

“You dream of moments like that when you’re a kid, to share them with such an amazing group of people is really special,” he said.

“We haven’t got here through luck; years of building went into this, and I’m just grateful to have played my part.”

Skubala praised his side afterwards, sprinting to celebrate with travelling supporters: “This is a big moment for the club.

“Big for the players, the staff – the hard work to get to this point. He’s been brilliant this season.”

“To deliver this for such an amazing club and fanbase makes me very proud… The secret to success is nothing but hard work.

“We want to win the title, the lads have said that they definitely want to win it. It’s going to be tough, but let’s go and get that done as well. We’ll enjoy tonight, we’ll go out and have a beer.

“But we’ll be back in on Wednesday, after a day off tomorrow, and then we’ll be ready for a big game at home [Leyton Orient on Saturday].”

“It’s an unbelievable feeling now. The lads have been excellent all season and to get the job done today, to get promoted on Easter Monday, just epitomises our season.

Eyes on the title

Lincoln have been relentless in League One, winning nine of their last ten games and remaining unbeaten for 24 consecutive league matches, stretching their record unbeaten run since a 3-2 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers on 22 November 2025.

The Imps are now in a commanding position to also claim the title, needing just seven points from their remaining five games.

They currently sit 12 points clear of second-placed Cardiff City, who hold a game in hand, but Lincoln remain firmly in control.

And next up in their push for title glory, Lincoln will be greeted with a heroes’ welcome at the LNER Stadium this weekend as they take on Leyton Orient.

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